IMPORTANT NOTE: The PCGS CoinFacts Condition Census
is a work-in-progress and should be used as a guide only. While every
effort is made to be as accurate as possible, errors and omissions may
occur. In addition, the census of any particular coin can and does
change as new coins are graded and/or discovered. Buyers or sellers of a
particular coin should do their own research to determine the relative
importance of that coin. PCGS CoinFacts welcomes the input of knowledgeable
collectors and dealers to help improve the PCGS
CoinFacts Condition Census listings.

The PCGS CoinFacts Condition Census lists the ten finest examples
known of a particular coin. The top five in the census are listed on the
specifics coin’s “home page.” The entire ten coin census can be viewed by
clicking the “more” link at the top right of the home page census. PCGS
certified coins are listed at their stated grade. Raw coins and coins certified
by other companies are listed with an estimated grade. Where known, auction
history or private offerings/sales are included.

Here are the terms used for the grades and what they represent:

PCGS grade – This refers to a coin that has been graded by PCGS.

PCGS estimated grade – This refers to a coin that has been
examined recently by David Hall, John Dannreuther, Gordon Wrubel, or
PCGS graders. The “PCGS estimated grade” is what we feel the coin would
most likely grade at PCGS if submitted for grading.

Estimated grade – When a coin has not been graded by PCGS we list
an “Estimated grade”
which can come from various sources including our guesstimate of what
a coin graded by another grading service would grade at PCGS,
auction catalog notes from the 1970s and 1980s by PCGS founders
David Hall, Gordon Wrubel, and John Dannreuther, and in the case of
older auction sales our guess as to grade based on the catalog
description.

Coins with multiple designations will have multiple census
listings. For example, Mercury dimes have a census for the non-full band, i.e.
“MS” designated coins, a census for full band, i.e. “MSFB” coins, and a census
for “All” which is a combination of both non-full band and full band coins.
Thus, it is important to compare all the designations for a particular coin
in their proper context. The
censuses for the various designations can be view by clicking the specific tab
at the top of the census listing. The following coins (and their designations)
are affected:

Copper coins (BN, RB, RD)

Jefferson Nickels (non-FS and FS)

Mercury and Roosevelt Dimes (non-FB and FB)

Standing Liberty Quarter Dollars (non-FH and FH)

Franklin Half Dollars (non-FBL and FBL)

Morgan Silver Dollars (non-PL, PL, and DMPL)

Proof coins (non-CA, CA, DC)

Note that for the “All” census the census order for mixed designations
is achieved by comparing the value of the particular grade and designation
combination as listed in the PCGS Price guide.